Arka Tagh

of the Przhevalskii Ridge, a ridge in the central part of the K’unlun Mountains in the Chinese People’s Republic. It has a length of 650 km and a maximum altitude of 7,723 m (Ulugh Muztagh, the highest peak in the K’unlun Mountains). It is composed primarily of granite, gneiss, and sandstone. Most of the slopes and peaks have smooth contours. Rock screes are common. Pebble and detritus deserts alternate with the herbaceous vegetation of the lake basins and river valleys. On the summits there is permanent snow and glaciers. There are gold deposits on the northern slope. The Arka Tagh was discovered in 1884 by the Russian explorer N. M. Przheval’skii.